Tag: News

Elections. Dozens of Romanians protested outside their countries’ embassies and at polling stations in various European capitals against the cancellation of the presidential elections, whose second round was due on Sunday, 8^th December. On Friday, the Constitutional Court of Romania ruled that the entire election process would be resumed, saying it had been tampered with. Judges also said that the fair and transparent nature of the election campaign was affected and election funding rules were disregarded. The independent candidate Călin Georgescu, who got the most number of votes in the first round and who is at the heart of a scandal surrounding Russia’s meddling in the Romanian elections, showed up, together with a number of supporters, to the polling station where he was registered and would have cast his ballot had the elections not been cancelled. He said democracy itself was “cancelled” together with the elections. Elena Lasconi, who was to face him in the second round, urged her supporters not to respond to provocation, but that she intends to run again. Both Lasconi and Georgescu critised the decision to cancel the elections, but other politicians described it as fair.

Investigation. Seven persons are under investigation as part of a criminal case opened in Romania after over 100 people attended last week the commemoration of the leader of the former Corneliu Zelea Codreanu Legionnaire Movement, where they displayed fascist and legionnaire symbols, which is against the law. According to the Prosecutor General’s Office, the persons under investigation used legionnaire flags and symbols and then shared their videos of the event on TikTok. The justice ministry also announced an investigation into five persons in connection to death threats to supporters of former presidential candidate Elena Lasconi. Another case refers to the funding of the presidential election campaign, with searches being conducted in Braşov, in the centre, targeting Bogdan Peşchir, the holder of a TikTok account suspected by prosecutors of corrupting voters, money laundering and IT fraud. Documents declassified by the Supreme Council of National Defence indicate that he contributed to financing Călin Georgescu’s election campaign.

Syria. The Romanian foreign ministry advised its citizens to leave Syria immediately, on any available safe route. Romanian citizens are also advised to inform the embassy of their presence in the region and their location, so that they can be contacted in the event of an emergency. Russia, one of the main supporters of Bashar al-Assad’s regime, said on Sunday that al Assad resigned and left Syria, folowing a lightning offensive by Syrian rebels led by radical Islamists that caused disarray among the Syrian army. Turkey said that it is in contact with the rebels to make sure the Islamic State group and the Workers’ Party in Kurdistan do not take advantage of the collapse of the Syrian regime in order to expand their influence.

Constitution Day. Romania celebrated Constitution Day on December 8. The country’s fundamental law was adopted by the Constitutional Assembly on November 21, 1991 and approved by a national referendum on December 8 that year, with a majority of over 77%, before being revised in 2003. The Romanian Constitution includes 156 articles divided into 8 titles and regulates, among other things, the general principles of state’s organisation, and the rights, freedoms, and fundamental duties of citizens and public authorities.

Book fair. On the last day of the Gaudeamus Book Fair, organised by Radio Romania in Bucharest, trophies were awarded based on the evaluation by expert juries and based on the votes of the public.  For five days, between December 4 and 8, this year’s 31st edition of the Fair brought together over 600 book launches, as well as conferences, debates and literary workshops. This year’s honorary president of Gaudeamus was the writer Mircea Cărtărescu, one of the best-known and most appreciated contemporary Romanian writers and the recipient of many national and international awards.

Table tennis. Romania ranked fourth at the table tennis Mixed Team World Cup hosted by Chengdu, in China, after losing the third-place match to Hong Kong 2-8 on Sunday. Also on Sunday, Romania were defeated in the semifinals by China 8-1. At last year’s edition of the competition, Romania did not advance past the first stage.

Church. The Romanian Orthodox Church issued a statement urging parish churches, monasteries and church goers not to get involved or take part in actions that are contrary to the law and social peace. The statement refers to information circulating on the social media groups of representatives of certain political parties according to which the former are to go to churches today to try to mobilise church goers to hold protests against the Constitutional Court and other state institutions. The Romanian Orthodox Church warns that such instigation can have negative consequences both for the clergy and believers and recalls that the Church promotes prayer and inner peace for the good of society. The reaction comes after Calin Georgescu, who ran for president on an extremist and sovereignist platform and who is at the heart of a scandal linked to Russia’s meddling in the elections, urged people to go the polling stations today, despite the fact that elections have been cancelled by the Constitutional Court. The members of the sovereignist Alliance for the Union of Romanians, which is also contesting the cancellation of the elections, have also been urged by their party to go to the site of the polling stations to light candles. The Constitutional Court on Friday ruled to annul the presidential elections and resume the entire election process, saying it had been tampered with. Judges also said that the fair and transparent nature of the election campaign was affected and election funding rules were disregarded.

Investigation. Seven persons are under investigation as part of a criminal case opened in Romania after over 100 people attended last week the commemoration of the leader of the former Corneliu Zelea Codreanu Legionnaire Movement, where they displayed fascist and legionnaire symbols, which is against the law. According to the Prosecutor General’s Office, the persons under investigation used legionnaire flags and symbols and then shared their videos of the event on TikTok. The justice ministry also announced an investigation into five persons in connection to death threats to supporters of former presidential candidate Elena Lasconi. Another case refers to the funding of the presidential election campaign, with searches being conducted in Braşov, in the centre, targeting Bogdan Peşchir, the holder of a TikTok account suspected by prosecutors of corrupting voters, money laundering and IT fraud. Documents declassified by the Supreme Council of National Defence indicate that he contributed to financing Călin Georgescu’s election campaign.

Syria. The Syrian army announced the end of the Assad regime. News agencies report that Syrian president Bashar al-Assad left Damascus for an unknown destination, while rebel forces entered the capital following a lightning offensive that began in the north of the country. The rebel leader said the former prime minister will supervise public institutions until the hand-over of power. The UN special envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen called on all Syrians to prioritise dialogue, unity and respect for international humanitarian legislation and for human rights in the reconstruction of their society, adding that he is ready to support the Syrian people on their journey to a stable and inclusive future. The Romanian foreign ministry advised its citizens to leave Syria immediately, on any available safe route, as the situation escalated. The ministry underlines that at the moment, there are no direct flights to Romania and suggest the land routes to Beirut, Lebanon, via the Masnaa border crossing. Romanian citizens are also advised to inform the embassy of their presence in the region and their location, so that they can be contacted in the event of an emergency.

Book fair. Today is the last day of the Gaudeamus Book Fair, organised by Radio Romania in Bucharest between December 4 and 8. Visitors can still buy new book releases at discount prices and attend book launches and debates. On Saturday, almost 200 events were scheduled, including book launches, meetings with writers, debates and book illustration workshops. The honorary president of this year’s edition was writer Mircea Cărtărescu, one of the best-known and most appreciated contemporary Romanian writers and the recipient of many national and international awards.

Parliament. The pro-European parties in Romania’s new Parliament, namely the Social Democratic Party, the National Liberal Party, the Save Romania Union and the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania, are today due to hold a first round of talks on the future government. The four are likely to account for more than 55% of the number of seats in Parliament. The other three parties in Parliament, considered sovereignist, namely the Save Romania Union, SOS and POT, are expected to hold 37% of the number of seats. The exact figures will be known at the end of the week after the finalisation of the procedure to redistribute the seats that were not won by any of the candidates, according to the president of the Permanent Electoral Authority, Toni Greblă. The new Parliament will begin work on 20th December, when the four-year mandate of the current Parliament comes to an end.

NATO. NATO membership gives Romania the strongest security guarantees it ever had, said the Romanian foreign minister Luminiţa Odobescu on Tuesday in Brussels, in an address at a meeting of NATO foreign ministers. She recalled that over 5,000 NATO soldiers are currently stationed in Romania for deterrence and to strengthen defence, and a positive consequence of the presence of the foreign troops is a boost in the local economy in the area where they are based. Luminiţa Odobescu also said that NATO membership consolidates Romania’s credibility at an international level, including on the financial markets. The NATO-Ukraine Council is also held on the sidelines of the meeting of NATO foreign ministers.

Stock exchange. The Bucharest Stock Exchange again opened in red trading today for the third day in a row after Sunday’s parliamentary elections. The main BET index, which shows the performance of the 20 most liquid companies, saw a depreciation of 2.84%. The index showing the performance of financial investment societies also dropped, and that referring to energy and utility companies depreciated by almost 3%. Economic analysts say investors are worried about the country’s political future and expect this period of uncertainty to continue. According to information from the market, since after the first round of the presidential elections on 24th November until now, the value of the Bucharest Stock Exchange shares has decreased on average by almost 10%. Romania will see on Sunday the second round of the presidential elections.

Book fair. Between 4^th and 8^th December, Bucharest is hosting the Gaudeamus 2024 Book Fair organised by Radio Romania. The honorary president of this year’s edition is the writer Mircea Cărtărescu, one of the best-known and most celebrated Romanian contemporary writers and recipient of many national and international awards. Over 200 exhibitors are taking part in this year’s fair, and the line-up brings together hundreds of editorial events. Tens of thousands of titles are presented, many for the first time.

Constitutional Court. The Constitutional Court of Romania said on Friday that it postponed for 2^nd December debating a request from one of the presidential candidates to cancel the results of the first round of the presidential elections. The court is waiting for the completion of the vote recount. On Thursday, the Constitutional Court requested a recount of all ballots cast in the first round, and the process is under way. The independent candidate who won the first round, Călin Georgescu, considered almost unanimously to be a pro-Russian extremist, criticised the Court’s decision and accused the ruling parties, namely the National Liberal Party and the Social Democratic Party of using state institutions for their own gain. Elena Lasconi, the leader of the Save Romania Union, who ranked second in the first round, also accused the Constitutional Court of playing with national security. The Prime Minister and social-democratic leader Marcel Ciolacu, ranked third after the first round, said he did not want to comment on the decision of the Constitutional Court. The interim president of the National Liberal Party, however, Ilie Bolojan, says the Court’s decision is causing tension in society, generating uncertainty and undermining trust in the state institutions. The election campaign for the second round of the presidential elections was due to get under way on 29^th November, ahead of the ballot on the 8^th December.

Elections. More than 18 million Romanian voters are expected at the ballots on Sunday, on National Day to elect their national Parliament, made up of 300 deputies and 166 senators. More than 8,000 candidates from 31 different political parties and alliances and 19 ethnic minorities are running in these elections. Abroad, voting is held over the course of two days, on both Saturday and Sunday, in the record 950 polling stations set up abroad. According to the Permanent Electoral Authority, almost 7,000 people have registered for postal voting in Sunday’s elections.

Defence council. The Country’s Supreme Defence Council was informed of cyber-attacks aimed at interfering with the election process in the first round of the presidential elections in Romania, held on November 24. According to the Council, hostile state and non-state players, especially Russia, have shown a growing interest in influencing the public agenda in Romania and disrupting the social cohesion. The accusations that Russia interfered in the presidential elections in Romania are unfounded, said Kremlin’s spokesman, Dmitri Peskov, quoted by Reuters. He said Russia is not in the habit of interfering in elections in other countries, particularly in Romania, nor does it intend to do so now. In another development, the Supreme Defence Council concluded that one of the presidential candidates, namely Călin Georgescu, who is pro-Russian, anti-NATO and anti-EU, may have benefited from massive exposure, due to preferential treatment from the social media platform TikTok. By not complying with Romanian electoral legislation, TikTok significantly increased Georgescu’s visibility compared with the other candidates, who were recognised as such by algorithms and whose messages were filtered.

National Day. On Saturday, the general rehearsal for the military parade dedicated to Romania’s National Day, December 1, takes place in Bucharest. About 2,500 soldiers and specialists from the Ministry of National Defence, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Romanian Intelligence Service, the Special Telecommunications Service, the Penitentiary Administration and the Romanian Customs Authority, with about 190 pieces of technical equipment and 45 aircraft, will participate in Sunday’s parade. They will be joined by about 240 foreign soldiers from allied and partner countries.

Defence. The current security situation shows that peace is no longer a certainty on the European continent, says the chief of defence of Romania, general Gheorghiţă Vlad on the anniversary of 165 years since the establishment of the Chief of Staff. He said that, counter to international humanitarian law, the actions of the Russian Federation fuel the negative progression of potential threats and security risks, while the Black Sea region, a strategic area of interest for NATO, is witnessing a defence crisis.

Visit. Romanian prime minister Marcel Ciolacu is today having talks in London with his British counterpart Keir Starmer. Ciolacu will also meet the speaker of the House of Commons, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, and the Lord Mayor of the City of London, Alastair King. He will also attend an economic forum, where he will present the conditions offered by Romania for green and sustainable investments in order to combat climate change, as well as infrastructure development projects, as part of support and reconstruction efforts with respect to neighbouring Ukraine, in the wake of the Russian invasion. Earlier, the Romanian prime minister had talks with the representatives of the Romanian community in London, telling them that the state is aware that it must come up with medium-term programmes for those wishing to return to their home country. A leader of the Social Democratic Party, in the ruling coalition, Ciolacu is running in the presidential elections held this month.

EU. Roxana Mînzatu, the candidate proposed by Romania for the position of vice-president of the European Commission in charge of the people and skills portfolio was heard on Tuesday in the European Parliament, but the parliamentary committees postponed a decision. All candidates for the six positions of vice-president are faced with the same delay, which is caused by Italy’s proposal for the position of vice-president for cohesion, Raffaele Fitto. Roxana Mînzatu’s hearing reportedly went well and her answers were appreciated by most members of the joint committees.

Travel. The Romanian foreign ministry reminds Romanian citizens currently in Andalusia or transiting or wishing to travel to this Spanish region that the local weather agency issued an orange code for bad weather, including heavy rain, large amounts of precipitation and strong winds in the Malaga province. If in need, Romanian nationals are urged to seek consular assistance by calling the telephone numbers of Romania’s general consulate in Seville, their calls being redirected to the call centre of the Contact and Support Centre for Romanian Citizens Abroad. Also, Romanian nationals who find themselves in difficult, special, emergency situations can call the permanence telephone number of Romania’s General Consulate in Seville.

Tennis. The Romanian women’s tennis team is taking part in the 2024 Billie Jean King Cup finals held in Malaga between the 13^th and the 20^th of November. Romania will face Japan on 14^th November, and the winner will play against Italy, last year’s finalist, in the quarterfinals. The team’s non-playing captain Horia Tecău called up Jaqueline Cristian, Ana Bogdan, Gabriela Ruse, Anca Todoni and Monica Niculescu for this tournament. Romania qualified for the Billie Jean King Cup finals after defeating Ukraine 3-2 on 14^th April in Florida.

Football. The Romanian national football side are preparing their match against Kosovo as part of the Nations League, taking place on Friday in Bucharest. Romania will play their next match on Monday at home against Cyprus. Romania top Nations League Group C2, with four wins in four matches and with 12 points to their record. They are followed by Kosovo, with 9 points, Cyprus, with 3 and Lithuania with no points. The best four group winners in the Nations League will take part in a tie for the 2026 World Cup hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.

Visit. Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu will make an official visit to London on Tuesday and Wednesday to meet his British counterpart Keir Starmer, the speaker of the House of Commons, Lindsay Hoyle and the Lord Mayor of the City of London, Alastair King. According to a statement from the prime minister, Marcel Ciolacu is also expected to attend the Romania-Great Britain Economic Forum, visit the Romanian Church and meet members of the Romanian community in Great Britain. “The Romanian government is interested in consolidating the strategic partnership with the United Kingdom in all areas of mutual interest and in order to meet current challenges and opportunities”, said Ciolacu. The official delegation also includes foreign minister Luminiţa Odobescu, defence minister Angel Tîlvăr, economy minister Radu Oprea and energy minister Sebastian Burduja. This is the first visit by a Romanian prime minister to the UK in the last 17 years.

Inflation. The National Bank of Romania expects the inflation rate to again go up by the end of the year, projecting it to hit 4.9%, up from 4% in the summer forecast. The Bank has maintained, however, its 3.5% forecast for the end of next year. The governor of the National Bank Mugur Isărescu emphasised that these forecasts have a high degree of uncertainty because the high budget deficit level will most likely call for measures to address this development. The National Bank has also decided to maintain the key interest rate at 6.5% a year, as it also did in its previous meeting in October.

Veterans. The Day of War Veterans was celebrated on Monday in Bucharest at the Monument of the heroes fallen in theatres of operation. Military and religious events were held, flowers were laid and the battle flag was granted the Land Component Command General Alexandru Cernat. “The veterans of the theatres of operation fulfilled all missions entrusted to them, showing professionalism, loyalty and readiness to learn, to adjust to the conditions existing in the theatres of operation and to work with partners from NATO, the European Union and the OSCE”, said lieutenant-colonel Nelu Chirilă, a veteran who served in Afghanistan, Iraq and Bosnia and Hertegovina.  November 11 was chosen for its symbolism: the entry into force, in 1918, of the truce between the Entente Powers and Germany, which ended the First World War and created the necessary conditions for the Great Union in Romania. The significance of this day for the Romanian Army is also related to the fact that November 11, 2003 saw the first Romanian casualty in the theatre of operations in Afghanistan with the death of Second Lieutenant Iosif-Silviu Fogaraşi in the line of duty.

EU. Romanian foreign minister Luminiţa Odobescu on Monday took part in a working meeting with the heads of mission of the EU member states accredited in Bucharest. Talks focused on the geopolitical context, the EU’s enlargement policy, EU competitiveness, the Transatlantic partnership and entry to the Schengen area, said a foreign ministry statement. The Romanian minister highlighted the need for unity in action and finding joint solutions in tackling hybrid challenges and threats targeting EU member and partner states. She also reiterated Romania’s constant support for the European path of the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine, as well as the need to consolidate political dialogue with the Western Balkans in order to speed up the European integration process in the region.

Deficit. Romania’s trade deficit grew by 15% in the first 9 months of the year to reach 23.5 billion euros, according to data published on Monday by the National Institute for Statistics. Exports passed 69 billion euros, down by 1.4%, while imports amounted to almost 93 billion, up by 2.3%. Cars and transport equipment and other manufactured products accounted for significant shares of imports and exports in the first nine months of the year, according to the figures published by the National Institute for Statistics.

US elections. Donald Trump is the virtual winner of the US presidential, with TV networks in the US projecting him to win  276 electors, 6 more than the required majority of 270. Based on the indirect election system, the elections are won by the candidate who secures the majority of the 538 electors, distributed among the states according to the size  of their population. The Republican candidate also won the popular vote with 51%, while the Democratic candidate Kamala Harris won 47% of the votes and 219 electors. While final results may take a few days, Donald Trump has declared victory at his campaign headquarters in Florida. He thanked his voters and said American gave him un unprecedented strong mandate, thus referring to the good results obtained by the Republicans in the US Congress. He promised to focus in this term in office on people’s safety, prosperity and healthcare. Kamala Harris is expected to speak in public tomorrow. Politicians and leaders from around the world have congratulated Trump, including from Bucharest. In a message posted on X, president Klaus Iohannis said Romania is a strong and committed ally of the United States and hoped that joint efforts would bring peace and prosperity for both countries, as well as others. Prime minister Marcel Ciolacu and senate speaker Nicolae Ciucă also congratulated Trump and said Romania is ready to work with the United States to consolidate the strategic partnership between the two states.

US Senate. Republicans appear to have gained control of the US Senate, previously held by the Democrats, with a majority of at least 51 seats out of 100, according to projections. The US Senate has 100 seats (2 for each US state) and 34 members are replaced following the vote organised concurrently with the November 5 presidential election. In the House of Representatives, neither party seems to have a decisive advantage. The control of the two chambers of the US Congress is a major stake, as the room for maneuver of the country’s president depends largely on the laws they are able to get passed in the Senate and the House of Representatives. Both vote on federal laws, but the Senate also has important exclusive powers, especially in the appointment or removal of key government members or in the confirmation of federal magistrates.

Romania-Serbia. The European path is worth “every effort”, and Romania can provide Serbia with its “full support” and expertise with regard to EU accession, said foreign minister Luminiţa Odobescu in a joint press conference with her Serbian counterpart Marko Duric, who was on a trip to Bucharest. Odobescu reiterated that Romania saw the Western Balkans are an important strategic region. Speaking about the bilateral economic ties, she said there is still untapped potential, adding that interconnection is the key word, with one good example in the field of energy infrastructure being the signing of a memorandum on the implementation of a natural gas project. The Serbian minister Marko Duric said that for his country, EU accession is a basic priority. The two officials signed a memorandum of understanding between their diplomatic institutes.

Floods. Another person missing in the recent floods in Spain has been found dead. The Romanian foreign ministry announced that, according to the information sent by the Spanish authorities, up to this moment 2 Romanian citizens are dead and 7 are still missing. The Romanian embassy in Madrid and the consular office in Castellón de la Plana are checking public information regarding the death of some other Romanian citizens, but no official confirmations have been received so far. Meanwhile, the Spanish government has declared a state of natural disaster in the affected areas and has pledged to cover 100% of the urgent expenses of the affected municipalities. A first emergency plan worth over 10 billion euros was adopted.

EU Commissioner. The Social Democrat Roxana Mînzatu, Romania’s nomination for vice-president of the new European Commission, received a positive review from the specialist committees of the Romanian parliament. Next week, she will also be heard in the committees of the European Parliament. In addition to the position of vice-president, the Romanian commissioner will also serve as Commissioner for People, Skills and Preparedness.

Visit. Prime minister Marcel Ciolacu on Monday begins a working visit to France, where is he due to meet his counterpart Michel Barnier and representatives of the Romanian community in France. According to a statement from the prime minister’s office, Ciolacu is due to visit the 29th edition of the EURONAVAL naval defence exhibition on Monday. The Romanian delegation also includes deputy prime minister Marian Neacşu, foreign minister Luminiţa Odobescu, defence minister Angel Tîlvăr, labour minister Simona Bucura-Oprescu, honorary advisor to the prime minister and first vice-president of the European Parliament Victor Negrescu and Hidroelectrica CEO, Borbely Karoly.

Floods. Seven Romanian nationals of the 16 previously reported missing in the floods in Spain are safe, said the foreign ministry in Bucharest. Through the Romanian embassy in Madrid and the Romanian consulate in Castellon de la Plana, the ministry is verifying information about the other 9 Romanian citizens who are missing in the wake of the recent floods. The Romanian diplomats in Spain are monitoring the latest developments closely and are in permanent contact with the Spanish authorities and with the Romanian citizens who reported the missing cases and are ready to provide consular assistance where needed. Spain’s prime minister Pedro Sánchez has requested assistance from the European Union to help the country recover from what he described as “the gravest floods our continent has seen this century”. He said thousands of military will help clear the roads and distribute aid. So far, the floods have caused the death of 217 people, including a Romanian national, and dozens are still missing. The Spanish media also reported on a Romanian family killed in the floods in La Torre, near Valencia.

EU. Beginning on Monday, the European Parliament is holding the hearings of commissioners-designate for Ursula von der Leyen’s future Commission. MEPs will assess their competence, independence and commitment to European values. According to the timetable published by the European Parliament, the hearings will end on 12th November, when the 6 nominees for the post of executive vice-president of the Commission will be interviewed. This includes Romania’s Roxana Mînzatu, who is designated to be in charge of people, skills and preparedness. The entire European Commission must receive the confirmation of the European Parliament, with the vote being scheduled for the plenary session to be held between the 25th and the 28th November in Strasbourg. After being confirmed by Parliament, the Commission must be officially appointed by the EU Council, with a qualified majority, namely 55% of member states, accounting for at least 65% of EU’s population.

Moldova elections. Neighbouring Moldova is holding the second round run-off of the presidential elections. Incumbent pro-European president Maia Sandu is running against Alexandr Stoianoglo, a former prosecutor general supported by the pro-Russian Party of Socialists. According to the latest opinion poll published before the ballot, Maia Sandu is favourite to win a second term. The first round was held on 20^th October, on the same day as a referendum on the country’s accession to the European Union. Maia Sandu won 42.49% in the first round, and Stoianoglo 25.95%. The Constitutional Court validated the referendum on Moldova’s accession to the EU, which won the votes of 50.38% of voters. The Moldovan elections are taking place against the background of a tense election campaign that has seen unprecedented interference with the election process from Russia and attempts to corrupt voters through a Russian bank subject to western sanctions. The Republic of Moldova officially submitted its bid to join the European Union in March 2022 and was awarded EU-candidate country status in June that year, and on 25^th June this year, the EU opened accession talks with this former Soviet republic with a majority Romanian-speaking population.

Moldova voting. Romanian foreign minister Luminiţa Odobescu, speaking to Radio Romania, emphasised the importance of the presidential elections in the Republic of Moldova, both for Moldovan voters and in order for Bucharest to have a trusted partner in dialogue. She went on to say that Moldovan citizens must vote not only with their hearts, but also with their minds, for a better future and to bring their country into the European Union, where it belongs. Of the 1,957 polling stations in Moldova, 306 are in the capital Chişinău and 30 in the break-away region of Transnistria. Moldovan citizens living in Romania can vote at one of the 16 polling stations set up here, namely three in Bucharest, two each in Cluj-Napoca and Iaşi and one each in Braşov, Sibiu, Timişoara, Craiova, Oradea, Suceava, Bacău, Galaţi and Constanţa. Moldovan citizens can vote based on their Moldovan passports or ID cards. Of the 234 polling stations abroad, 60 are in Italy, 26 in Germany, 20 in France and 17 in the UK, as well as 2 in Russia. Voting is monitored by Moldovan and international observers. It’s the 5^th time Moldova is holding presidential elections since it won its independence from the Soviet Union, but for almost 20 years the president was elected by Parliament.

Floods. Seven Romanian nationals of the 16 previously reported missing in the floods in Spain are safe, said the foreign ministry in Bucharest. Through the Romanian embassy in Madrid and the Romanian consulate in Castellon de la Plana, the ministry is verifying information about the other 9 Romanian citizens who are missing in the wake of the recent floods. The Romanian diplomats in Spain are monitoring the latest developments closely and are in permanent contact with the Spanish authorities and with the Romanian citizens who reported the missing cases and are ready to provide consular assistance where needed. Spain’s prime minister Pedro Sánchez has requested assistance from the European Union to help the country recover from what he described as “the gravest floods our continent has seen this century”. He said thousands of military will help clear the roads and distribute aid. So far, the floods have caused the death of 213 people, including a Romanian national, and dozens are still missing. The Spanish media also reported on a Romanian family killed in the floods in La Torre, near Valencia.

Beginning on Monday, the European Parliament is holding the hearings of commissioners-designate for Ursula von der Leyen’s future Commission. MEPs will assess their competence, independence and commitment to European values. According to the timetable published by the European Parliament, the hearings will end on 12^th November, when the 6 nominees for the post of executive vice-president of the Commission will be interviewed. This includes Romania’s Roxana Mînzatu, who is designated to be in charge of people, skills and preparedness. The entire European Commission must receive the confirmation of the European Parliament, with the vote being scheduled for the plenary session to be held between the 25^th and the 28^th November in Strasbourg. After being confirmed by Parliament, the Commission must be officially appointed by the EU Council, with a qualified majority, namely 55% of member states, accounting for at least 65% of EU’s population.

Floods. One of the Romanian nationals missing in the devastating floods in Spain has been found dead, said the foreign ministry in Bucharest this morning. The ministry will continue inquiries, with the help of the Romanian Consulate in Castellon de la Plana and of the Romanian Embassy in Madrid, into the fate of the other estimated 15 Romanian citizens on the missing persons list. The south-eastern Spanish region of Valencia was hit by disastrous flash floods two days ago, which specialists have described as “unprecedented”. 158 people have been killed and dozens are still missing. Spain has declared three days of national mourning.

Elections. The election campaign for the parliamentary elections of December 1^st officially got under way today. Romanian voters will elect 466 MPs, 330 in the Chamber of Deputies and 136 in the Senate. The election campaign will come to an end on 30^th November. Romanian citizens residing abroad will be able to cast their ballots either through postal voting or in person at one of the polling stations set up abroad. The Romanian foreign ministry submitted to the Permanent Electoral Authority its proposals for the 950 polling stations to be set up abroad for the upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections. The election campaign for the presidential elections began a week ago. The first round will take place on 24^th November, and the second round on 8^th December. In June, Romania also saw European and local elections.

Anniversary. Radio Romania today celebrates 96 years of uninterrupted service. With over 3 million listeners a day, the public radio station must reinvent itself and make itself more attractive to younger audiences, said the director general of the Romanian Radio Broadcasting Corporation, Răzvan-Ioan Dincă. Radio Romania broadcast its first programme at 5 pm on 1^st November 1928. In recognition of its decisive role in the country’s history, in December 2019 Parliament declared 1^st November National Radio Day in Romania. To mark this occasion, the Radio Concert Hall is tonight hosting an anniversary concert conducted by the celebrated Romanian conductor Cristian Mandeal.

Journalists. In most cases in which journalists get killed around the world, their killers go unpunished, said UNESCO in a report on International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists, which is marked every year on 2^nd November. 85% of all crimes against journalists recorded by UNESCO in 2006 are still not solved, the report also writes. Over the two years covered by the UNESCO report, namely 2022 and 2023, 162 journalists were killed, almost a half of them in countries with ongoing armed conflicts. In 2022, Mexico reported the largest number of journalists killed, 19, followed by Ukraine, with 11 journalists killed. In 2023, Palestine reported the largest number of journalists killed, namely 24.

Trade. The Romanian minister for the economy, entrepreneurship and tourism Ştefan-Radu Oprea and the Turkish trade minister Omer Bolat are today chairing the second session of the Romania-Turkey Economic and Commercial Committee. According to the Romanian ministry, the event will focus on developing economic ties and consolidating the strategic partnership between the two countries. On 31^st December 2021, commercial exchanges between Romania and Turkey amounted to 8.342 billion dollars, with exports accounting for 3.103 billion dollars and imports for 5.238 billion dollars. Trade exchanges grew by more than 30% compared with the same period last year.

Handball. The Romanian men’s handball champions Dinamo Bucharest defeated the German side Füchse Berlin 38-31 on Thursday evening in Bucharest, in Champions League Group A. Dinamo will again face Füchse Berlin on 21^st November, away. In the Group A ranking, Dinamo are in third place, after the Hungarian side Veszprem and the French side Paris Saint-Germain.

Elections. The Romanian foreign ministry has submitted to the Permanent Electoral Authority its proposals for the 950 polling stations to be set up abroad for the upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections in Romania. The highest number of polling stations, 158, will be set up in Italy and Malta 147 in Spain, 107 in the UK, 68 in France and Monaco, 59 in the Republic of Moldova, and 48 in the United States. There will be no polling stations in Afghanistan, where Romanian troops have been pulled out of, Rostov-on-Don, in Russia, where Romania’s consular office is being closed down, in Odessa, where the Romanian consular office has been temporarily suspended, as well as in Sudan, Venezuela, Libya and North Korea. Romanians living abroad will be able to cast their ballots over the course of three days for each round of the presidential elections and over two days for the parliamentary elections.

Floods. More than 72 people were killed in Spain in the devastating floods caused by torrential rains in the south-east of the country, according to the latest toll. Valencia is the worst hit region, where more than 100,000 homes are without electricity, while trains to Madrid and Barcelona have been cancelled because of the flooding. Public schools and kindergartens are closed and sports events cancelled. Rain caused significant damage in other areas as well, such as Andalucía and Murcia, which are very popular with tourists. “Romania stands by Spain in these difficult times”, the Romanian president Klaus Iohannis posted on social media. He said he was profoundly worried and saddened about the loss of human lives and the huge disaster caused by the grave floods. Romania’s foreign minister Luminiţa Odobescu said her country was ready to provide assistance.

Cities. Ten Romanian cities were included in a European project under which they are to become climate-neutral and smart cities by 2035. After a selection made at the Climate Neutrality Forum M100 by town planning experts, cities likes Bucharest, Alba Iulia, Braşov, Constanţa, Iaşi and Oradea will receive help to reduce their carbon emissions and become smart green cities. The M100 Forum, which is taking place in Bucharest, aims to provide a platform for debate and good practice in the field of sustainability.

 Investment. Direct foreign investment in Romania dropped by 21% in the first seven months of the year compared with 2022, when a record level of 10 billion euros was recorded, the Foreign Investors Council has said. The Council’s president Daniel Anghel said only a third of companies active in Romania planned major investments for 2025, which is the lowest level in the last four years. Foreign investments in Romania total 118 billion euros, with The Netherlands, Germany and Austria being the three largest investors. Anghel said in 2025, 43% of companies will maintain investments at the same level as in the previous year, and 22% will cut their investments.

Survey. Romanians are most worried among respondents in Central and Eastern Europe about the rise in poverty, possible food and water crises and widening economic gaps between people, according to a life satisfaction survey conducted by Kantar Romania. Other reasons for concern are war and the rise in prices. The survey also indicates that most citizens in Central and Eastern Europe are satisfied with life, with Romanians being the most satisfied among them, after Austrians and ahead of Bulgarians. Although they are satisfied with their families’ financial situation, Romanians are dissatisfied with their professional and social life.

IMF. An International Monetary Fund mission will arrive in Romania on 5th November to assess the latest economic and financial developments and revise its macroeconomic forecasts. In its latest World Economic Outlook survey published last week, the International Monetary Fund revised its forecast with respect to Romania’s economic growth level this year down to 1.9% from 2.8% last April. On Monday, the National Institute for Statistics published a survey on the perception of business managers on Romanian economy, estimating an increase in construction and retail costs. Analysts are warning that things will change in the economic sector once the government stops financing salary and pension rises.

Drones. The drones entering Romanian airspace without permission will be destroyed, neutralised or their flight can be taken under control, based on new provisions proposed by the defence ministry. A bill on the control of the use of national air space was published on Monday on the website of the defence ministry. It lays down the measures that can be taken commensurate to the level of threat, within the confines of applicable international law, after an analysis of all specific circumstances of the event and taking into account the priority of protecting human lives – with the last possible solution being the destruction of the unmanned devices using national air space without permission. Romanian defence officials have recently invoked the need to adapt the legislation in the field to the situations reported near Romania’s border with Ukraine, with fragments of Russian drones falling here on a number of times and with functional devices entering Romanian airspace.

Moldova. The pro-European president of the Republic of Moldova, Maia Sandu, said she would reshuffle the government in the event of a win in Sunday’s second round of presidential elections. Sandu, who on Monday evening attended an election debate on the public television station in Chişinău, said she was considering replacing a number of ministers in Dorin Recean’s cabinet by the end of the year. Her rival, the pro-Russian socialist and former prosecutor general Alexandr Stoianoglo refused to attend the debate. In the first round of the presidential elections last Sunday, Maia Sandu won 42% of the votes and Stoianoglo 26%.

UNRWA. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said he was “deeply concerned” about the banning of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) in Israel and the occupied territories approved by the Israeli Parliament. Israel says the agency, which is the main supplier of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, is infiltrated by members of the Hamas Islamist movement, some of whom were involved in the attacks of October 7^th 2023. The decision to ban UNRWA has sparked protests at international level. In a statement, Antonio Guterres recalled that Israel has obligations under international law and that no legislation can change these obligations. News agencies recall that the UNRWA headquarters in East Jerusalem were the target of Israeli protests, some violent, in the aftermath of the Hamas attacks of 7^th October 2023.

Film. The trophy of the Romanian Film Makers Union this year went on to Mihai Mincan’s film To the North, which also won the prize for best script, editing, soundtrack and male lead, the last of which went to Niko Becker. Tudor Giurgiu won the best director award and Radu Jude’s Do Not Expect Too Much from the End of the World won the special jury prize. Actress Simona Bondoc and film maker Mircea Daneliuc won the Mihnea Gheorghiu academic prizes.

Moldova. The pro-European camp in the Republic of Moldova has a slight lead in a referendum on the country’s joining the European Union, with 50.3% of the votes, with 99% of the votes counted. The advantage appears to come from the votes of the Moldovans living abroad, 80% of whom voted in favour of their country’s accession to the EU. The close result is a surprise, as opinion polls ahead of the ballot indicated a comfortable win for the yes vote. The incumbent president Maia Sandu said unprecedented fraud has been committed, in which criminal groups together with hostile foreign forces bought 300,000 votes. Maia Sandu won the first round of Sunday’s presidential elections with 42% of the votes and in the second round will face the Socialists’ pro-Russian candidate Alexandr Stoianoglo, who won 26% of the votes in the first round.

Bucharest. The General Council of the City of Bucharest on Monday approved holding a local referendum on the first round of the presidential elections, on 24^th November, with 47 yes votes and 2 no votes. The inhabitants of the city will be asked to answer three questions. The first two were proposed by general mayor Nicuşor Dan and are related to the way in which the money is divided between the Bucharest City Hall and the city sectors and to the issuing of building permits in Bucharest, while the third, proposed by the Social Democratic Party, refers to combating drug use in schools. The three questions are : “Do you agree that the distribution between the Bucharest City Hall and the sectors of the revenues from income taxes and local taxes collected from the inhabitants of Bucharest is approved by the General Council of the City of Bucharest?”; “Do you agree that the General Mayor of Bucharest issues the building permits for the whole of Bucharest?” and “Do you agree that the Bucharest City Hall finance and implement a health education and drug use prevention programme in all schools in Bucharest?”

Corruption. Senator Eugen Pîrvulescu, who is under criminal investigation for instigating influence trading, is heard by the Senate’s legal committee to decide whether an IT search should be conducted. Pîrvulescu was placed under criminal investigation and is to be subject to judicial control as part of a case in which he is accused of instigating buying in influence. While he is under judicial control, Pîrvulescu and other witnesses in the case are obliged to appear before the criminal investigation body whenever they are summoned, are not allowed to leave the country and are not allowed to talk to the other witnesses in the case. Last week, the Chamber of Deputies voted in favour of lifting the immunity of Nelu Tătaru, a former health minister between March and December 2022 and who is accused of bribe taking.

Festival. The Astra International Documentary Film Festival got under way in Sibiu, in the centre, on Sunday evening. More than 100 documentary films are being screened at this year’s edition, which is held this week at various locations across the city, cinemas, performance venues and a special place called New Cinema Dome in the city’s main Square. In the meantime, Bucharest is playing host to the National Theatre Festival, which will come to an end on 28^th October.

Threat. The US Embassy in Bucharest has warned its citizens that it was made aware of threats potentially targeting a synagogue, temple, or mosque in Romania between 11^th and 13^th October. The embassy urges US citizens to exercise increased caution near religious institutions in Romania for this period. The Romanian Intelligence Service said there was no information prompting the rise in the terrorist alert level in Romania. Despite this, the Service’s spokesman Ovidiu Marincea said the authorities would pay increased attention and spoke of the international context and the religious events celebrated this weekend. The interior ministry also indicated that a larger number of its staff would be deployed this weekend to ensure an optimal climate of public order and safety.

Rating. The assessment by Standard & Poor’s is proof of our macroeconomic stability and Romania’s development prospects in the coming years, said prime minister Marcel Ciolacu. His reaction comes after Standard & Poor’s this weekend reconfirmed Romania’s government debt rating and stable outlook for the long and short term hard currency debt. This is the result of the transition to an economic model based on massive investments, production and job creation, Ciolacu also said. He added that the inflation rate fell from over 10% in June 2023 to 4.6% at present, while the number of people in employment rose to a record 5.16 million. The prime minister also said that budget consolidation in the next 7 years must be based on rational spending and better revenue collection by cutting tax evasion and continuing investments. Standard & Poor’s estimates that Romania’s economy will grow by 1.6% this year and by around 3% on average in the next 3 years.  In another move, Fitch Ratings confirmed Bucharest’s long term hard currency and local currency rating at BBB minus with a stable outlook. The Romanian capital city has around 2.2 million inhabitants and accounts for more than 30% of the country’s economy, while its level of wealth is almost three times the national average.

Survey. Romania has one of the highest levels of life satisfaction in Europe, according to Eurostat statistics. In a ranking of EU member states, Romania, which has a rating of 7.7 points out of a maximum of 10, is only outranked by Finland and shares its position with Slovenia, Austria and Belgium. The lowest satisfaction levels are recorded in Bulgaria, Greece and Latvia. In 2023, the EU average was 7.3 points.

Exercise. NATO begins its annual nuclear exercise on Monday, amid increasingly frequent threats from Russian president Vladimir Putin to use nuclear weapons in the context of the war in Ukraine. After the end of the Cold War, NATO’s nuclear capacity was no longer a priority. Following Ukraine’s invasion by Russia and after the latter’s clear threats, NATO changed its approach, with former NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg often saying NATO’s nuclear power is an element of deterrence. NATO sources said the exercise is not in response to Moscow’s threats, as such drills have been held every year for more than a decade. The operation, which is hosted by Belgium and The Netherlands and lasts two weeks, brings together 60 planes from 13 different countries and 2,000 military.

Festival. Video mapping on historical buildings, multimedia installations and interactive experiences are some of the weekend’s attractions in Bucharest as part of the 8^th edition of the Spotlight International Festival. The event brings together local and international participants whose creations are reconfiguring streets and buildings by means of light and colour. The Spotlight festival, which this year is headlined “Bucharest 565. Urban connections”, is focused on a complex theme that reflects the interaction between new media art and contemporary challenges, such as the devastating impact of global warming and the rescue of vulnerable species.

Rating. Standard & Poor’s has reconfirmed Romania’s government debt rating and stable outlook for the long and short term hard currency debt, the finance ministry in Bucharest said, explaining that the decision is the result of the moderate level of foreign and government debt and the solid growing economic outlook. Standard & Poor’s estimates that Romania’s economy will grow by 1.6% this year and by around 3% on average in the next 3 years. Finance minister Marcel Boloş said the confirmation of Romania’s rating is a positive signal that obliges the government to continue reforms, spend public funds more efficiently and reduce the pressure on the budget. In another move, Fitch Ratings confirmed Bucharest’s long term hard currency and local currency rating at BBB minus with a stable outlook. The Romanian capital city has around 2.2 million inhabitants and accounts for more than 30% of the country’s economy, while its level of wealth is almost three times the national average.

Survey. Romania has one of the highest levels of life satisfaction in Europe, according to Eurostat statistics. In a ranking of EU member states, Romania, which has a rating of 7.7 points out of a maximum of 10, is only outranked by Finland and shares its position with Slovenia, Austria and Belgium. The lowest satisfaction levels are recorded in Bulgaria, Greece and Latvia. In 2023, the EU average was 7.3 points.

Festival. Video mapping on historical buildings, multimedia installations and interactive experiences are some of the weekend’s attractions in Bucharest as part of the 8^th edition of the Spotlight International Festival. The event brings together local and international participants whose creations are reconfiguring streets and buildings by means of light and colour. The Spotlight festival, which this year is headlined “Bucharest 565. Urban connections”, is focused on a complex theme that reflects the interaction between new media art and contemporary challenges, such as the devastating impact of global warming and the rescue of vulnerable species.

Football. The Romanian national football side are tonight facing Cyprus in Larnaca, in Nations League Group C2. Romania and Cyprus have so far played 13 times, with Romania winning 9 of the matches, while Cyprus won only once, in a friendly match. After their first two group matches, Romania have a maximum of points and lead the group which also includes Lithuania and Kosovo apart from Cyprus.